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This article throws light on the six major values of biodiversity. The six major values are:
(a) Total Environmental Value (TEnV), (b) Primary Value (PV), (c) Total Economic Value (TEV), (d) Use Value (UV), (e) Direct Use Value (DUV), (f) Indirect Use Value (IUV), and (g) Ethical and Aesthetic Values.
(a) Total Environmental Value (TEnV):
UNEP (1995) defined this as a function of primary value and total economic value.
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Scientists and economists working together arrived at a surrogate evaluation of all environmental goods and services. It amounts to $33 trillion worldwide per year and thus is larger than the global economy of $29 trillion (1997 figures). In other words, global natural resources are more valuable than global national products.
(b) Primary Value (PV):
This is defined as the value of the system characteristics upon which all ecosystem functions depend (UNEP, 1995). It is called primary value because the structured ecosystem produces functions that have secondary value. The secondary value will exist as long as the ecosystem retains its health, existence, homeostasis, operation and maintenance.
(c) Total Economic Value (TEV):
Also called Total Value (TV) or simply Value (V). TEV denotes the sum total of all kinds of values attached to biodiversity minus the primary value. It is the function of use and non-use values. Total economic value by itself will underestimate the true value of ecosystems. It has to be considered along with the primary value.
(d) Use Value (UV):
This represents the value arising from an actual use made of a given component of biodiversity. It is often a function of Direct and Indirect Use Values.
(e) Direct Use Value (DUV):
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This is also known as direct value. It is defined as actual uses especially in consumption. It represents the economic values derived from direct use or interaction with a biological resource or resource system, DUV is relatively easily measured by assigning market prices.
(f) Indirect Use Value (IUV):
It is defined as benefits arising from an ecosystem function. It represents the economic value derived from the role of resources and system in supporting or protecting activities whose outputs have direct value in production on consumption (UNEP, 1995). Indirect contributions of biodiversity to human welfare are said to have this value. Biogeochemical cycles, photosynthesis, climate regulation, prevention of soil erosion, pollutant degradation are the phenomena which contribute indirectly to biodiversity.
(g) Ethical and Aesthetic Values:
People with good cultural background have deep concern for biodiversity. They derive ethical benefit from biodiversity. Biodiversity is considered to have great value on cultural and religious grounds specially in India and East Asian countries. Ethical values differ from place to place, culture to culture, time to time and differ between different components of biodiversity. For example, the ethical value attached to sacred basil is not accorded to cactus in India. Most people value certain species more than others subconsciously.
The aesthetic value of biodiversity is very well known. Most people react more aesthetically towards plants that are appealing, visually or otherwise. Most cultured societies have attached great value to the effect that plant and animal beauty have on human mind and emotions. Poets, writers and artists from various cultures have given expression to the aesthetic appeal of plants and animals. Roses, for instance, kindle the aesthetic sense much more than cacti and carnivorous plants, although the latter have their own admirers. Such relative aesthetic judgments could compel greater concern for certain biodiversity elements than for others.
